Silk Road Calendar
Through July 31
Special Exhibition
Battleground: War Rugs from Afghanistan
The rug weavers of Afghanistan, long renowned for their artistry, depict on their rugs the world that they see. Like television news, their rugs “report” current events. Since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 and throughout more than three decades of international and civil war, Afghan weavers have borne witness to disaster by weaving unprecedented images of battle and weaponry into their rugs. Flowers have turned into bullets, landmines, and hand grenades. Birds have turned into helicopters and fighter jets. Sheep and horses have turned into tanks. These are the images on a new and electrifying kind of Oriental rug – the “war rugs” from Afghanistan. Dozens of Afghanistan “war rugs” woven since 1980 are featured in this traveling exhibition organized by the Textile Museum of Canada and making its U.S. debut at the Penn Museum. Read more
Wednesday, June 1
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
From Venice to Xanadu: Marco Polo's Silk Road Adventure
by Dr. Paul M. Cobb
Admission: $5 per lecture with advance registration; FREE for Penn Museum members with advance registration; $10 at the door.